Apparatus for treating material



Dec. 12, 1944. s. H. WILLIAMS 2,364,838

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATRIAL Filed Feb. 2e, 1942 3 Smets-sheet 1 Dec. 12, 1944. r s H, -wlLLlAMS 2,364,838

4APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL A Filed Feb. 26', 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N .s1/MN5@ H. waz/ans,

N Nm @MQMM Decl2, 1944. s. H. WILLIAMS 1 2,364,838

APPARATUS FOR TREATING MATERIAL Filed Feb. 26. 1942 3 sheets-sheet 5 ,60N/vsn HJW/alanis,

@www I Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to produce controlled uniformity of dyed or chemically treated lots of material by a continuous operation. From a control standpoint, we have found that a suitable Wayvto carry out this function is to first apply the colors or chemicals to the material and then carry either' in a continuous operation, or as a separate operation, for further dyeing or developing, to the unit such as designed, in order to further properly lx or fasten the dyestuffs to the material or fibres. This procedure is best explained on the order of a continuous vat pigment form of dyeing, We use the vat colors in citing this instance, but the same is true of any of the other groups of colors or chemicals that require additional development, reduction or xation in order that they may be dyed or treated to obtain their maximum fastness. The vat colors in their pigment form have little or no affinity and, therefore, can be applied very uniformly over the material to be dyed, in this form, but require further reduction treatment so that they may be properly aiiixed to the material to produce their rated fastness.

One object of this invention is to take such pretreated material containing these pigment dyes or chemicals, or other coloring matter, to a developing or dyeing unit, such as shown, either in a Wet or dry state and gravity feed a treating solutionl with the material through a confined channel area arranged so that the treating fluid follows the material in an even mannerand'due to the close confinement, the vat pigments in the process of becoming solubilized or reduced are prevented from bleeding off into a wide area of solution, as this solution travels with the material, closely confined. The stripping off action or bleeding is held to a very close minimum and produces results from a dyeing standpoint that cannot .be obtained by the present methods in use, such as the adding of pre-dissolved dyes to a dyebath.

By pre-treating the material with this coloring matter, it is possible to use types of dyestuffs that vary considerably in their rates of exhaust or have different chemical structures, and produce even dyeing effects by such mixtures, which are uniformly controlled. were dissolved and added to a tank of anystructure as the material would pass through, the fastest dyeing types would be absorbed rst out of the solution, leaving behind theless substantive types and produce an uncontrollable dyeing factor. By carrying such mixtures or groups of colors that have already been adhered to lthe ma- If such mixtures of colors.

terial, such as by padding them on or by any other means, for further dyeing and development, they may be carried with the material, together with the fluid, so that no remaining color is left back in any stationary part of the treating liquid. The treating liquid is forced by gravity to flow concurrent with the material until the dyeing or chemical action has been completed.v

It has taken many years of research to devise a movable treating iiuid in a confined area to produce the results, as explained.

The following description relates to my invention in the process and apparatus of treating material. More particularly it deals with chemical treatment whether bleaching, dyeing, washingor otherwise of a continuous web of textile fabric. The web or fabric or material, as mentioned here, may be in any physical form, such as thread or yarn or yarns grouped together, known as warps.

Textile fabrics have been made by weaving, knitting or otherwise, yarn thread or other strands in great varieties of materials thus the bers which are spun together to form the material may be animal fibers suchas silk, wool and mohair, minerals bers such as asbestos, sodium silicate and similar forms or may be of vegetable origin such as natural fibers of cotton, iiax and synthetic fibers as cellulose acetate, viscose or cuprammonium and all other forms of synthetic silk-like materials as nylon and casein fibers. Frequently these'materials are made up not only of a single type of fiber but a mixture oi.' various materials such as above described.

Chemical treatment of such mixed iibers for bleaching, dyeing or otherwise conditioning, must take into consideration differences in reaction by the several types of flbers and different vperiods of time or conditions which must be observed in producing a satisfactory uniform product.

This invention proposes a process for the chemical treatment of such textile fabrics regardless of their particular constitution and applicable for many operations such as bleaching, dyeing and the1ike.

In many instances satisfactory treatment of place between the material and ingredients carried by the treating liquid. This invention provides for the dyeing, bleaching or other chemical treatment of a continuous web of material in a manner that allows the material to be treated evenly on all sides as the layer of treating liquid completely surrounds the material and is held in close contact to the latter by the particular construction of narrow channels through which the material to be treated moves and thus is brought into Contact with the treating fluid which is also in motion either in the direction of the material or in the opposite direction. This brings about faster chemical treatment due to utilizing the full area, of this liquid traveling in motion with the material.

This procedure maintains a positive control and a desirable low ratio of treating liquid to the material under treatment. By the material being surrounded with such a thin layer of liquid the ingredients which are either dissolved or held in suspension in the liquid are forced by close contact to react evenly over the material for the purpose intended and without loss. This is in direct contrast to the prevailing practice which either forces the chemical solutions through stationarily held materials or conversely agitates the material in a normally stationary treating solution.

My invention uses a basically dierent principle, that of causing the material to travel through the machine so that the material is submerged in a minimum quantity of the liquid so arranged as to bring the material in close cony tact with the dyes, bleaching agents or other chemicals. At the same time the treating liquid is caused to travel in contact with the fabric until completion of the desired chemical reaction.

To denne more clearly the treatment of material either chemically or with dyestuffs, inasmuch as the chemicals or coloring matter may react not only chemically but physically. this invention covers the mechanical and physical reactions between the material to be treated and' the ingredients, which are brought in contact with it. contained in the fluid, as these ingredients in the iluld may be chemically inert and are mechanically forced on the material by either close contact in processing same by the method stated.

, treated to a blend of colors giving a desired shade. This treatment may be' simultaneous or successive when the dyes have different afllnities for the fiber treated or adhere to the material Aat different rates of speed. By applying these colors together with the material or by first treating the material with these colors and then passing them through the apparatus for further development. the forced contact of the reacting materials with the fabric in a confined area and subject to common motion, the dyes are prevented from exhausting as they would react when applied `from stationary solutions.

In particular Vthe reacting chemicals with which it is intended to treat the fabric, may be Cill fed to the apparatus either at the point of entrance or at any subsequent stage, or separate reagents may be added at separate points in order to bring the reaction to completion at the point of delivery.

A still further object of my invention is t0 maintain a desired control of thetemperature of the material and reacting liquid.

Among the objects of my invention is to economize the chemical agents used and to guard them from unnecessary exposure to oxidization.

As an illustration of the preferred form of ap-v paratus by which my invention may be carried out, I have shown a typical installation in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line I-I of Fig. 2 showing an apparatus for effecting chemical treatment of a web of textile fabric by a treating liquid;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same and Fig. 3 is a side elevation'showing the apparatus arranged to receive the web to be treated.

Broadly speaking the invention consists in providing a restricted channel closely conforming to the area of the fabric to be treated. permitting the movement of the treating liquid along with or contrary to the course of the web being treated and with minimum exposure to the air.

Such an arrangement is accomplished with a tank which is composed of suitable material to withstand the chemicals in the treating solutions. This tank has heating means such as the coil 5 or analogous means by which thewater or other fluid in the tank may be kept at the desired temperature most satisfactory for carrying out the chemical treatment.

tion. Fig. 1 shows that the iiuid travels over the first top roll 20, following the material into the second channel. of which the top of the sec- .ond roll 20, is slightly lower than the iirst, al-

lowing the liquid to cascade from one channel to the other. 'I'he dam 9. slightly lowerthan roll 20, allows for a continuation of the ow of liquid into the next series of channels, the cascade of liquid flowing over the top of each roll 20,. until reaching the exhaust level I8.

At the head or entrance end of the tank the inner wall or lining 6 rises above the tank to form a funnel or chute I5 which in Fig. 2 is shown to extend the full width of the tank and to permit the entrance of the web of fabric It.

The chemical solution is added in desired quantity to the funnel I5 through the inlet pipe I'I. After owing through the tank the spent chemical -liquid overilows through the pipe I8. y

Suitably journaled in the side walls of the tan as shown at I9 in Fig. 2, is a series of .rolls 20. A roll 20 surmounts each partition 1, 8, It, vI I, I3, and I4 and has a diameter slightly greater than the partition. Each of the several rolls 2G, is slightly lower than its preceding roll,` so'that the liquid flowing over the top yof the nrst roll '20, flows through'and under the baiiiea'following the material, and cascades over the second roll 20. continuing over dam 9 and in the same manner throughout the balance of the machine to point Il where the spent liquids are exhausted.

A series of baos 2| are suspended by means of bars 22 fromthe top of the tank and into the wells 23 between the several partitions, dams and 1 The lower end of each baille has a pair of stand* i ards 24 in which is journaled a roller 25. This roller has a diameter slightly greater than the transverse width of the baille. The diameters oi the rolls 28 and 23 are such that the web I8 passes through the narrow channels between the baiiies and the adjacent partitions, dams or tank walls.

Suitably mounted on standards 2 8 on the side of the tank are rolls 21 and 28 arranged in superposed pairs. .The first pair of rolls 21 surmounts the dam 3 and the lower roll 28 has a diameter such that the web rises upwardly along one side of the dam and down the other side equally spaced between the vertical faces of the dam and the adjacent baiiles.

A second pair of rolls 23 and 30 is mounted above the tank and the dam I2 in the same manner and for the same purpose.

At the discharge end of the tank a third pair of rolls 3l and 32 is mounted to receive the web as it rises from the narrow space between the baille 2l and the wall of the hollow tank 8.

Each pair of rolls is driven with suitable driving means provided to rotate the rolls advancing the material through the machine, their purpose being to cut down the strain and lessen the tension on the fabric in its travel through the apparatus.

Figure 3 illustrates the method of starting the chemical treatment. The requisite quantity of chemical solution having been run into the wells 23, a web I6 is passed between the pairs of rolls 21,28, 29, 30, 3| and 32.

The bailles are then lowered, either simultaneously or successively into their respective wells'. This serves to festoon the web so that it passes down near the end wall 8 of the tank around the roller of the first baille and thence around the roller 20 above the partition 1. Each baiile 2I4 establishes a corresponding festoon in its respective well.

It will be apparent that the web delivered from I' the well in advance of the dam 9 is carried up to the iirst pair of rolls before festooning through the wells between the dams 9 and I2. 1n like manner the web passes through the second rolls before festooning in the wells between dam I2 and the third pair of rolls.v

The treating fluid reaches' a level above the partition 1, over top roll 20'and the level of illm of liquid. over this roll is governed by the speed of the fluid fed into the machine at I1. The

, speed of the travel oi the iluid with the material is, therefore, regulated at point` of entry Il., and point of exhaust I8. As the solution cascades over the top of each roller and down through the channels with thematerial, the speed of flowis governed at the point of entry, and the height' and over the dams. This is a very small ratio compared with the area otfabric being treated. Consequently there is a minimum `of deterioration of the treating liquid which is very important where the latter must be protected against oxi-l dation.

In some instances separate dye solutions may be introduced successively. For example a dye which operates slowly may be introduced with.

the web and followed by the introduction of a more rapidly operating dye'into the well between the dam 8 and partition I0. Thus both dyes willy have completed their reaction as the web leaves the anal well.

Some reactions may suggest the advisability of 4drawing the web through the apparatus in the reverse direction to the iiow of' liquid reagent.

This of course will be easily accomplished in the apparatus as described. v

Likewise the several wells may be arranged horizontally so that the material and fluid may be caused to traverse back and forth in a horizontal direction.4

their oxidizing properties are dyed to the best advantage in baths or solutions that are not exposed tothe air. Such colors are indanthren blue BCS-color index No. 1114, and caledon jade green--color No. 1101. With such colors the bailiing of the path gives a maximum area of fabric in contact with' the solution and a minimum exposure f liquid. This consequently minimizes the required amounts of reducing chemicals such as sodium hydrosulphite It will be evident that similar advantages are obtained' by confining bleaching solutions such as sodiumor hydrogen peroxide and solution of chlorine incidental to carrying out a bleaching operation.

As an examplel of continuously dyeing with direct or substantive dyes I have carried out the process with diamine sky blue FF-color index No. 518, and chrysophenine-color index No. 365, obtaining all depths of shades. 4The material was iirst treated with a direct color by passing the material through a bath containing the color in a water solution. The fabric was then taken to the illustrated apparatus either wet or dry where the dyeing and developing was accomplished by the further treatment of the material with. the solution of common salt. This solution traveled in the thin area with the material at 200 F.

forcing the proper fixation of the dyestuff to the fiber until the reaction wascompleted.. The application of this group of colors surpasses in time and control the conventional methods in use for applying this group of dyestuffs.

The second method used in applying the direct i colors is byentering the untreated material, containing no dyestuffs, to the machine and feeding simultanecuslythe dissolved color along with the necessary chemicals, and the color and material` traveling together until the d yes are absorbed i :tion between the material and the colors held in the iluid.

Sulphur dyestuifs such as immedial green- 'color index No. 1106, and immedial orange C- color index No. 949, are applied in the same manner, that is, either by treating the fabric first with the unfixed dyestuifeither wet or dry or by adding the dyestuff with the fabric in iixed proportions to the apparatus, adding the requisite chemicals such as sodium sulphide and common salt to the treating liquid and causing the fabric and liquid to travel together in close contact. Here again the dyeing action is completed in a shorter space of time withl a more complete con- .trol of final shade and less oxidation of the dye- I In applying diazo or developed dyes such as primuline,A color index No. 812, or diamine .black BH-color index No. 401, the first step is` carried out in the same manner as with direct or substantive dyestuffs but as these colors necessitate a further treatment, necessary to produce their desired fastness and true shade, they are further chemically treated. Thus the fabric which already contains the .fixed dyestuff is passed `through the apparatus containing the solution with sodium nitrite and either hydrochloric or sulphuric acid. For the production of the final Ashade the fabric may be treated further in the same apparatus after rinsing, by applying such developers as beta naphthol o r other suitable chemicals.

I have used this process also for the dyeing of vat colors shown -by color indexes such as anthra yellow GC-color index No. 109,5, indanthren olive R-color index No. 1150, bromide indigo MLB/4B-color index No. 1184, and helindone pink BN-color index No. 1211.A 'Ihese .include the anthraquinone, the indigoid, both bromide and the thio ind'goid types, including synthetic indigo-color index No. 1177, or hydron bluescolor-index No. 969 and 9'71, carbasols,'and the water soluble vat .colors or leuco vats such as known to the trade as algosols or indigosols (caledon jade green index color No. 1101). A11 4 these groups have been dyed successfully by this process by treating the material to be dyed with these dyes in pigment or in soluble form and entered into the continuous developing and dyeing unit, either wet or dry, into which is fed simultaneously the necessary reducing and dyeing chemicals, such as hydrosulphite of sodium, caustic soda and common salt, all traveling'together, the materials, dyesand solutions through the narrow channels or oriiices until the dye action is complete. By dyeing these colors in such a confined iiuid medium which travels with the material throughout the' machine in close c ontact with each other, the material is surrounded by a thin layer of solution. /The reduction and dyeing action takes place in suchfa confined area that complete exhausts of dyes are obtained in a minimum space of'time, producing results that heretofore have not been accomplished in the practical art of handlng the, groups of dyestuff mentioned. This is particularly true in the dyeing of What'is known to the trade as heavy or dark shades of lvat colors; such were still best .f applied by what is known as either jigg or pad- V `jigg method of dyeing. In this process it is necessary to pass the material a number of times back and forth through the solution in order to properly obtain the correct shade and fastness and during these passages, portions of a various color combination may come on or go back on unevenlyv producing unpredictable results. In producing these same heavy shades by this invention the pigment color either in dispersed or soluble form is first applied to the fabric and then carried or passed through this machine either in one continuous operation or as a separate treatment by the material having contained the unfixed dyestul. The colors must be put in a l0 soluble form by reduction as the dyes of this group of colors are made soluble by entering them into a reducing solution. They have a natural e tendency to bleed out into the area of fluid into which they are immersed. By this invention they are immersed in such a thin layer of solution, the dyelngs are forced in contact with the material preventing this bleeding off into an area of solution which is a majorfactor in producing true shades by holdingthe dyestuff lon the material, by running it through the closely fitted channels which prevent the dyes, as they become soluble, to leave the material and bleed out into v Ia Wide area of fluid. As this group of colors has been passed through this machine where the reducing and dyeing action takes place, they are either then in a separate or in a continuous operation, washed and oxidizedjn the usual manner necessary to treat this class of dyestuifs.

Additionally I may carry out the dyeing and .I developing of the naphthol or insoluble azo group cals or developers to produce a chemical reaction 40 or completion of process. 'I'he materials to be treated are carried together with the chemicals through this continuous dyeing .and developing unit in close contact in the confined areas as shown, which produce, due to their design, re- 5 suits much more satisfactory than any of the other conventional continuous methods now employed in the art.

From the above detaileddescription it will be apparent that I have devised a method of dyeing, developing and treating fabrics with chemicals by continuous movement of the fabric, the liquid and chemicals through a conned area'so that the fabric is evenly surrounded by liquid. The'close contact forces the material in' the liquid to react lwith the fabric. This process results in improvements and advantages and simplifies the control in production in dyeing and chemical treatment. It also gives greater economy in the use of the chemicals and dyes by utilizing a very low ratio of liquid to the fabric treated.

' The invention is supplemented by the novel and improved apparatus including the removable baffles and attached immersion rolls which block exposure of all but a thin area of the liquid. Many 60 min'or details in the process and apparatus are \possible without departing from the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. In an apparatus for chemically treating a l continuous web of fabric a tank, a series of transverse vertical partitions defining wells formed therein, and arranged in groups, an inlet for forming a dam for the liquid, the liquid passing over the dam, a transverse roller mounted above each partition and means for festooning the web in each well and over each roller in succession, said means arranged in said Wells so as to leave a narrow restricted area through which the material and liquid must travel.

2. In an apparatus for chemically treating a continuous web of fabric a tank, a series of transverse Vertical partitions defining wells formed therein, an inlet for treating liquid above" the first of said wells, an outlet for liquid beyond the last of said wells, a transverse roller mounted above each partition, a removable baille suspended in each well and arranged therein so as to leave a narrow restricted area through which the material and liquid must travel, and a roller carried by the lower end of each baille in close proximity to the bottom oi' the well.

3. In an apparatus for chemically treating a continuous web of fabric a tank, a series of transf verse vertical partitions defining wells formed therein and arranged' in groups, an inlet for treating liquid above the rst of said wells, an outlet for liquid beyond the last of said wells, the final partition of each group being highest and forming a dam'for the liquid, the liquid passing over the dam, a pair of squeeze rolls mounted above each dam, a transverse. roller mounted above each remaining partition and removable means for festooning the web in each well and over each roller and through the squeeze rolls in succession.

4. In an apparatus for chemically treating a continuous web ofl fabric a tankan inlet for treating liquid, an outlet for the tank, meansfor heating the liquid in the tank, a series of transverse vertical partitions Adefining wells and arranged in groups, the final partition of each group being the highest and forming a dam for the liquid, a pair of squeeze rolls mounted above each dam, means for rotating the rolls, a transverse roller mounted above each other partition, baiiles removably 'suspended in each well and rollers journalled in the lower ends of the baiiies. the baiiles and associated rollers restricting the free area in the wells to narrow connecting verti-A cal passageways extending the full width of the f tank and from end to end thereof.

5. In an apparatus for chemically treating and dyeing a continuous web 'of fabric, a, tank, a series' of. transverse vertical partitions, forming wells,

arranged so that the upper edge of each well is slightly lower than the preceding well, thereby allowing for a gravity flow of the confined fluid from lone Well to the other, a removable baille closely fitting within each well, so that the web may be festooned under one baiiie and over the next partition, a fitted roll at the bottom of each baille tothe used as guide rolls, the baiiles being only slightly narrower than the width of the wells so as to produce a narrow confined passageway through which the festooned web passes, thereby allowing for a minimum of fluid to ow concurrently with the web.

SUMNER H. WILLIAMS. 

